THUNDER BAY – For 23 years, volunteer Grant Noy has been serving the Hymers Fall Fair dining hall with a special tradition, one that has been passed down through generations.
Each year, the tradition is set in motion 22 hours before the Hymers Fall Fair begins when Noy and his cooking partner begin burning a pit with one cord of poplar firewood.
This fire pit is only the beginning of the lengthy process of cooking slow roasted deep pit barbecue beef for the dining hall’s Sunday dinner.
“Once the fire’s going and everything is getting ready we take each roast and unwrap it from the plastic it comes in,” Noy said.
“We put it in a cheese cloth with our own special seasoning and after that, we mix up flour water batter.”
Noy added the roast is dipped into the flour water batter and wrapped in burlap.
“The old fellas who taught us are gone, but now I have my son and his friend and they will take over from us.”
Once the 40 roasts are wrapped they take each roast and dump them into a bit of water before placing them into the pit.
After the roasts are placed in the pit “we throw a little dry sand on top to take the surface tension off.”
He said grader blades are placed across the pit and covered by plywood and tarp with six inches of dirt shoveled over top.
“We cover it and leave it to sit for 22 to 24 hours,” Noy added.
Noy said this particular way allows the roasts to cook in its own juices.
“The flour and water batter seals the roasts in itself, so once you take away it’s just head and it can’t burn. There’s no oxygen it’s just a big oven.”
Noy said 25 years ago his wife had asked him to help put some of her crafts in the exhibit hall for her and now every year he prepares the slow roasted deep pit barbecue beef.
Noy enjoys participating in the Hymers Fall Fair.
“It’s been going on for so long and it has become a tradition for families.”
Hymers Fall Fair president Wendy Handy said the fair gives city people the opportunity to see what the country life has to offer.
“While I grew up in the city and the only connection I ever had to the country was the fair,” Handy said.
“This fair is an opportunity for the people around the area to see what country living is about and see where your food comes from, how it’s grown and who produces it.”
Wendy added there are plenty of local vendors as well and everybody has something to offer.
“It’s just a great way for people who might not otherwise get to see these kinds of things get to see them all in one place.”
For more information, visit the Hymers Fall Fair website.
